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Paine Field Community Council Meeting February 13th, 2018

Paine Field Council Meeting

On Tuesday The Paine Field Community Council met at the Future of Flight for a 7:00PM discussion about Propellor Airports planned public terminal. The meeting was filled with concerned residents worried about the environmental effects, increased noise and traffic, and how all of these potentialities might effect our activities of daily living.

Flying Heritage Museum

The terminal will host flights from Alaska Airlines, United Airlines and Southwest Airlines. Propellor Airports leases 11.5 acres of land from Paine Field for 30 years, with 2 possible extensions of 10 years each. Propellor hopes to have the 2 gate terminal operational by July 15th to give the whole operation time to practice and work out any kinks before the public can first use the terminal starting September 1st, 2018.

Paul Anderson, Operations Specialist, reminded all in attendance that Paine Field operates with no noise curfews. All noise abatement is purely voluntary. Paul showed a graphic of all noise complaints from 2017. The three top noise complaints about the airport were: 1.) The Dream Lifter which had the most complaints, receiving 50%. 2.) Active military planes and choppers received 20% of the complaints. 3.) The WWII war birds from The Heritage Museum received 6%.

Bruce Fisher, Co-Deputy Director for Paine Field said that as of now, the airport is only at 30% of capacity for all operations. The first year of commercial flights leaving and arriving will add an additional 17,000 flights per year. Bruce also stated that the FAA wants a new Master Plan of Paine Field, which will be started sometime in 2019.

I left the meeting feeling trepidatious. Change is inevitable, and this is going to happen whether we want it to or not. Shawna and I spend a lot of time in our back yard, especially during warmer months, and we are looking forward to having one last summer as things are. Will we notice a change next summer as we walk the dogs in Japanese Gulch, or entertaining guests on the deck? Only time will tell.